Eye movement and desensitization reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye movement and desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that helps people process distressing memories by focusing on the memories of painful life experiences while alternating stimulation of the left and right sides of the body. This technique, called “bilateral stimulation,” can include eye movements, tactile tapping, or auditory cues. The techniques used in EMDR support the brain’s natural adaptive information processing system. In doing so, it allows people to process past traumatic experiences in a way that feels gentle, since they don’t need to go through minute details of the distressing experience.

What are the origins of EMDR?

EMDR can sound strange or unorthodox to clients at first, but it’s an effective and evidence-based therapy. EMDR treatment was developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, who discovered that side-to-side eye movements could help reduce the emotional charge of traumatic memories.

This simple yet powerful finding led to the creation of the standard EMDR protocol as we know it today. The main goal of EMDR treatment is to reduce the emotional charge of the distressing memory as a person’s negative belief about the self shifts to something more positive and accurate, by combining principles from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with bilateral stimulation.

When is EMDR used?

While EMDR is most commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders, it’s also been shown to be effective for other mental health challenges, such as depression, panic disorders, and phobias. EMDR is mainly used with individuals in psychotherapy, but it can also be used in group, couples, or family therapy, depending on the situation.

For example, a therapist might incorporate EMDR into a group therapy session for trauma survivors, helping everyone process similar experiences in a supportive environment. When it comes to families, EMDR can help heal relationships, especially when past trauma or unresolved conflicts have affected family dynamics.

EMDR has been especially helpful for groups that often experience trauma, such as military veterans, abuse survivors, or first responders. LGBTQ+ individuals, too, might use EMDR in affirmative therapy to process trauma linked to discrimination or identity struggles. EMDR can be used for a wide range of things that may feel small intellectually, but emotionally are much bigger and harder to get past.

This can include traumatic experiences of all kinds, low self-esteem, grief, or even performance anxiety. Whether it’s trauma from years ago or something more recent, EMDR can help rewire the way the brain responds to stimuli, leading to lasting emotional relief.

How does EMDR work?

EMDR therapy helps people work through traumatic or upsetting memories that can feel “stuck” in the brain, leading to emotional pain, anxiety, and other difficult experiences. These memories aren’t just stored as images — the body and the brain also carry the emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and even physical sensations tied to the event. When these memories get triggered, all those disturbing feelings come rushing back, often causing symptoms of PTSD or other mental health struggles.

In a typical EMDR session, your therapist will guide you through recalling a troubling memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, usually by having you follow their fingers with your eyes as the therapist moves their hand from side-to-side. This helps your brain process the memory in a new way, reducing the emotional intensity attached to it.

Other memories in that distressing memory’s “network” are also targeted, leading to an overall reduction in distressing reactions to the past event. For example, someone who’s experienced a difficult breakup might still experience intense feelings of sadness or fear, or negative beliefs like “I don’t deserve love.”

EMDR helps shift that memory into a neutral space, so it no longer feels as emotionally charged, and positive beliefs such as “I deserve a healthy relationship and lasting love” have replaced the old, negative ones.

What is EMDR like?

According to the protocol, there are 8 fluid phases of EMDR therapy:

1. History and treatment planning

Your mental health provider will ask questions to understand your history, emotional responses, and current concerns. This helps them create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your experiences.

2. Preparation

Your therapist will help you develop “resourcing” — skills, such as guided imagery of a safe place, that help you return to calm if you’re feeling overwhelmed by emotions associated with a traumatic  event. These positive memories give you a mental place of calm to rely on during, or after, emotionally intense sessions, as well as during the week outside your session to help you build tools for relaxation.

3. Assessment

Your therapist will guide you through a process that helps you choose which memory you would like to work on first. Then, they will support you in identifying various sensory, emotional, and cognitive aspects you experience when thinking about the event.

4. Desensitization

While thinking about the memory you and your therapist identified, you will engage in bilateral stimulation (like rhythmic eye movements or tapping), which helps reduce the emotional charge of the trauma. Between sets, your therapist will check in to see how you’re doing.

5. Installation

Your therapist helps you replace a negative belief tied to that targeted memory with a more positive one. For example, a belief like “I am powerless” might shift to something empowering, like “I am strong and I have as much control over my life as anyone can.”

6. Body scan

Since trauma is stored in the body and not just the brain, your therapist will guide you in noticing any lingering physical sensations that may be related to the trauma. Once these sensations are identified, the therapist will help you process them so they can be released. This is the final step in breaking the connection between past trauma and present physical responses, as it promotes relaxation and healing.

7. Closure

Your therapist will help you close the session out and leave feeling grounded and safe using the relaxation and resourcing techniques learned in the preparation phase.

8. Re-evaluation

Your therapist will check in on your progress, reassess the emotional charge of identified memories, and determine if any further processing is needed

Going through the eight phases of EMDR helps you work through your emotional responses to negative experiences so you can feel more like yourself and regain your sense of well-being.

How long does EMDR take?

The length of EMDR therapy can vary based on the individual and the mental health concerns being addressed. People who experience a single incident of trauma, such as a car accident, may only need a few sessions. Some people may require more if the trauma is complex or ongoing.

Sessions usually start with a weekly cadence, but as progress occurs, they may be spaced out to every two weeks or monthly. If you’re working through symptoms of complex PTSD, where memories are intertwined with one another, it may take longer to process, but most people begin to feel relief even within the first few sessions.

Is EMDR effective?

EMDR is an evidence-based treatment. Research shows that EMDR works because it taps into the brain’s natural ability to heal and process memories. One theory is that this is much like what happens during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when the brain works through emotions and memories. The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR — whether through eye movements, tapping, or sounds — stimulates both sides of the brain, helping to reprocess memories and reduce their emotional charge.

This shift can lead to a significant change in how someone relates to their trauma, moving from a cycle of flashbacks and distress to a more balanced, neutral response. By addressing trauma on a neurological level, EMDR rewires how the brain stores and processes memories, making it a lasting and effective treatment for various trauma-related concerns.

How to find an EMDR therapist

If you think EMDR might be right for you, it’s important to speak with a licensed and experienced clinician trained in this model. Since EMDR can bring up intense emotions, you’ll want a therapist who is not only compassionate and patient but also experienced in creating a supportive environment. Don’t hesitate to ask about their background to make sure their clinical practice is the right fit for your specific needs.

There are many types of mental health care providers who practice EMDR including licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) and more. Clinicians do not need to be trained in EMDR to practice it successfully.

On top of finding someone specializing in EMDR, you want to make sure they meet your other needs. For example, if you struggle with anxiety in relationships or experienced significant abuse from a caregiver during childhood, you’ll want to find an attachment-focused EMDR therapist. In addition, finding a therapist who accepts your insurance can make therapy much more affordable.

You can find a therapist who accepts your insurance and specializes in EMDR by using Grow Therapy. After filtering for your location, insurance, and needs, you can then select “EMDR” from the “Treatment methods” drop-down.